Although born in the United States, Hansen was adopted when she was 3 months old by a Ghanaian father who worked for the United Nations and his Caucasian English wife.[1] They moved to Ghana before settling down in London when she was eight.[2] She was often the only black child at her East London school and later spoke of the racist sentiment and teasing she experienced.[3] She discovered a talent for running and was introduced to athletics by a teacher. Although she competed in her first international at age 17, she remained ambivalent about turning professional and only gave up her day job seven years later to fully commit herself.[2]
At the 1998 European Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain, Hansen won the gold medal with a world record jump of 15.16m. This record lasted for 6 years. She is also the British record holder for the outdoor event with a jump of 15.15m in 1997.
Hansen won her first major outdoor gold at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with a jump of 14.32m.
Hansen won her second World Indoor title at the 2003 Championships in Birmingham, UK with a jump of 15.01m.
Hansen suffered a serious knee injury during the 2004 European Cup, requiring extensive surgery. She returned to triple jumping and competed at the British Championships, where she immediately climbed back to the top of the British rankings; however, she decided not to be part of the team for the European Athletics Championships that summer. [citation needed] She was hoping to make the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing but was unable to regain fitness in time and announced her retirement in July 2008.[6][7]
